Hep C carrier jailed after biting, urinating on and burning girlfriend with cigarettes

By John Cassidy

22 November 2018

When police arrived at the house they found the victim covered in blood

A Hepatitis C carrier who bit his partner on the ear, nose and toe was jailed today for six years for what a judge described as a "brutal, degrading and sustained attack''.

Martin Reid (47), whose address was given as Maghaberry prison, had pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding his partner with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm.

He further admitted guilty to falsely imprisoning the woman, causing criminal damage to police property and assaulting a female PSNI officer.

Belfast Crown Court heard that Reid had subjected his girlfriend to a two-hour attack in September 2017, biting her on the nose, ear and toe after she woke him from a drunken and drug induced sleep.

The court was told that Reid is no stranger to violent and aggressive domestic abuse, and in one past attack in 2011, he had bitten off a portion of his then partner's nose.

His defence counsel Eugene Grant QC told the court that the defendant's life took a downward spiral following the break-up of his marriage and later subsequent suicide of his son, recognised the awful wrong he had done, although "he does not know why he did the things he has done".

When police arrived at the house they found the victim covered in blood, still bleeding profusely from a head wound.

They also noted extensive blood splattering in the living room, bedroom and kitchen.

The court heard that during the two-hour attack, the victim was kicked numerous times to the head and body as well as being burned with cigarettes, urinated on and twice prevented from escaping.

Sentencing Reid today (Thursday), Judge Patricia Smyth told him : "This was a brutal, violent, degrading and prolonged attack on your partner while you were under the influence of substances.

"The photographs of her injuries speak for themselves. There are also the photographs of the blood splattered house in which this attack took place.

"She was punched and kicked to the head and you slapped her to the face. She required two staples to a head wound and she had to attend general practice services because you are a carrier of the Hepatitis C virus.

"No weapon was used but you used your teeth to inflict harm.

"You also assaulted a police officer and you deliberately spat in her face, spraying her in the eyes, not knowing you were a Hepatitis C carrier.''

Judge Smyth said Reid had a criminal record for attacks on female partners in 2008, 2011 and 2017.

"It comes as no surprise that the Probation Service assess as you as danger to the public,'' she noted.

Taking his guilty plea into account which she said "showed evidence of remorse'', the judge told Reid: "I consider an extended custodial sentence of six years is appropriate in this case.''.

After serving his six years in custody, Reid will spend a further three years on supervised licence, and would be subjected to conditions by the Parole Commissioners.

Judge Smyth granted a restraining order against Smyth who was told that he was "not to contact his victim, either direclty or indirectly'' in an order to protect her from him.